I got a chance to be part of a 5th edition DnD game this weekend and it was GREAT! What could be better than sitting around a table with a bunch of people and playing DnD. I met some new people and caught up with some friends I had not seen in a while and drank some beer while I played DnD. Did mention that I played DnD? Its only been like years since I got a chance to play like this. Probably since the second edition and its been a really long time since I played in a group as fun as this one.

This leads me a curious problem -- do I paint a miniature to represent Gorick the Gnome, Hero from his home town, amazing wizard and prestidigitator, Gorick the Heroic? I hear you all of you shouting "YES! What is wrong with you? You are a painter right?!?" Well the last time I did that my character died in the next game session. What? You haven't heard that tale? Well sit back, relax, and enjoy...

So way back in the day, my friends and I decided that we wanted to play something a little more gritty than DnD so we switched to RuneQuest. For those of you who know it, you know that combat is a very dangerous place in RuneQuest. One critical hit can and will maime or kill you. Dead. And critical hits happen a few times in a combat. Just saying.....

So my character's name was Sharts the Shirtless* and I ran around Glorantha as an initiate of Humakt before I became a Rune Priest for Humakt. This took several years in our time get him up to that level while playing once a week. Finely we were at such power level that we were to go on a quest to recover a magical holy relic and return it to the temple of Orlanth. What relic? I don't remember because I have blacked out most of the adventure. Our party setoff into the chaos lands and it was not long before we ran into trouble. We surprised two large giants as they devoured a large group of cattle. They quickly spotted us, hurling boulders at us as we charged the beasts. Some of our party was entangled and others were wounded as we charged and Sharts was the first and only person to make it to the giants. It was looking pretty grim for Sharts as the giants surrounded him. The first attack shattered Sharts's shield and crippled his arm. Rather than try to heal himself, Sharts attacked largest the giant striking him in the abdomen with a critical hit. He was dead before he hit the ground.

HIs victory was short lived as a third even larger giant sprang from the tree line and rushed toward Sharts. As luck would have it, Sharts dodged the strike from giant number two and struck him in the leg with a mighty blow. The giant tumbled to the ground but continued to fight on. Sharts rushed the third giant and repeated his epic strike to its belly. Another critical hit and the giant was dead before he hit the ground. This was becoming a reoccurring theme with Sharts. The last giant smashed the ground with his mightly tree club as Sharts dodged out of the way. Another critical, and this giant was dispatched as well.

Three criticals and three giants slain single handedly. Sharts (and me) were completely full of himself.

I was so pleased that I decided to paint a miniature to represent him for this final quest. I had one that fit him but I just had not painted it for many mundane reasons like I didn't want to screw it up. That week between the game sessions, I pushed all other figures aside and worked only on Sharts. I tried to capture the essence of him in the painting or at least how I pictured him in my 13 year old mind. It basically took all week but my quest was accomplished.

The next week as we began our session, I showed off my Sharts the shirtless miniature to my friends. No one was as impressed as I expectedthem to be, but I was satisfied so I didn't care.

Sharts and companions continued their journey along into the lands of chaos until we encountered a medium sized giant. ONE medium sized giant. In RQ one giant is dangerious enough, but Sharts had just kill THREE large ones.... by himself. This he would have the support of the Orlanthian Rune Lord as will as the rest of the party. As we engagued for the first time, the giant picked Sharts out of the group and brought his makeshift club down on Sharts fly swatter style. Sharts attempted to parry but critically failed leaving him defenseless. The blow smashed through his him and "he was dead before he hit the ground".

5 minutes into my first session with my painted miniature, Sharts was dead. I think I still blame the painted miniature to this day and haven't painted one to represent my since. If you are still reading this now you know why I am nervous about painting one for Gorick.

That being said, I am a miniatures guy. I have already purchased one out for him and I'm just waiting for him to arrive. Stay tuned to see if I actually paint him.

* - I never figured about why Sharts was shirtless. It just sounded cool for some reason.